Celastrus Scandens
by Divine Calibur
Summary: [Set after Atem's first sacrifice] She was resolute like her Ouji before her. Nothing could change her mind now. She was stubborn but by no means less cynical. Dabbing her eyes with a canvass piece of cloth, she whispered ever so faintly. "We are equals. You are strong. Whatever happens, wherever you are, and whoever you may become, I'll never forget."


**This is a one shot story I had come up with. I have edited it in many places to make it seem more profound. Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

_**Italicized words refer to flashbacks.**_

* * *

Particles of specked dust clouded her vision.

Huff. Huff.

Her face was completely veiled, save for a pair of sparkling teal orbs that were searching for something. Scrutinizing. A vast horizon of sand had been her only answer.

Eyes once full of hope dulled.

Infiltration was in progress.

Sinew, joint, tendon and ligament callously smeared and drowned out by a foreign yet familiar substance. It greatly inhibited her internal mechanical processes from functioning at its best.

Limbs trembled, throat yearned, lips dry and cracked. They longed to quench malevolent dehydration.

All she was met with was the intensity of the vast expanse of wilderness that lay before her.

Nearly choking up some tears, she continued to press forwards in huge strides. Crumpling her beige garments tightly with her delicate fingers, she managed to conjure a protective barrier over herself with the staff that was passed down to her by her late master.

"_This was forged with the finest emerald among the treasures of the late Pharaoh."_

"Master?" Her head twitched from side to side. She sought, yet he was nowhere to be found.

Violently, she brushed off sand that tarnished her.

It required excruciating effort to set up the barrier, perhaps it would even take days to replenish the lost manna and Ka. Even as everything seemed to swirl into an obstacle before her, frail knees were reluctant to let go.

Mana opened her eyes. Survival instincts kicked in. She was resolved that she will not meet her end at such a horrible place.

Nevertheless, the sand was overbearing and threw her off course. The young priestess' magic was drained to the point she was unable to summon her ka.

Sweat trickled down her brow. Squinting her eyes, she fixed them on the desolate expanse that lay beyond her reach.

Her only ally a dormant flicker of hope.

There once was a tower that was formed of precious time and memories_._ It was a relationship that was not meant to be. It was built on the unshakable foundation of mutual trust and reliance the former being an irreplaceable cornerstone. _He, _in fact they, made it be. It flourished and grew into an extravagant beauty much like the fabled tower of Babel, which was rumored to have existed during the antediluvian period.

It was at its pinnacle of beauty, before the deluge swept it, along with that world from _existence._

The soul of her windows began to grow dim. Her eyes had always been devoid of life ever since _it _happened. Vitality gradually reduced to being non-existent, intangible, and inevitably impossibly too difficult to attain.

Tumultuous and grandiose thoughts of revolution.

Oppressive thoughts to convalescing and escapism.

She had already lost count of how many times she has had enough of this bloody onslaught.

She was tired of it all.

Exasperated.

Lost.

Misdirected.

Frustrated.

Consumed with frivolity.

Repetitive repercussions.

* * *

_"Priestess Mana! The Pharaoh requests that you increase the number of watchmen at the gate as soon as possible. Priestess Isis has also noted that your daily training with the young ones will be in an hour."_

_After a brief pause, his lips tumbled out, though softly. "Please do not neglect this."_

_The envoy's beseeching was promptly followed by a kneel - foot forward - an explicit symbol of absolute loyalty to the appointed ones of the gods. It acknowledged their sovereignty and authority, which left no room for debate nor defiance._

_With a hasty swipe of fingers, a euphonious ringing resonated throughout the temple court. The source being five diamond pointers the priestess had strung into unison—an ornament was adorned beautifully around her neck. _

_As soon as she turned from the altar she was met with penitent conviction._

_Was it done out of true loyalty? Or was it merely a pseudo-zealous facade? Superfluous formality?_

_Was it all because of fear?_

_With a smirk and as fleeting as it was, she gracefully walked towards him and reciprocated his actions with a gentle yet firm hand on his shoulder._

_'Such pervasive passion Mana.'_

_"I understand. You may leave now."_

_As instructed, the messenger scurried away in haste with his head bowed until he felt her prying eyes no longer fixated on him._

* * *

_Was she overthinking? No. Since ancient times, history has always repeated itself. The downfall of dynasties reaped through seeds of scheming and deception - sown by the ones who wielded power themselves._

_Power is arbitrary? It had always been, regardless. _

_Even when her late master served as a guardian, it was also difficult finding loyalty and trust among themselves. _

_If the gods willed it, she could turn back time, from when she was an innocent young lass—_

_Eyes widening, the woman was immediately enveloped with warm nostalgia._

* * *

_It was the day before his coronation._

_The wind howled again and again._

_"We're almost there, Mana!"_

_His rich comforting voice, that eased her qualms and doubts._

_Reaching out towards his hand, she gleefully hoisted herself up and immediately jumped towards him, m__uch to his surprise._

_"Oi! We might!"_

_The young apprentice clomped him pointblank. Pressing her body close to his face, his protests were muffled._

_"Ouji! We won't fall! Don't be such a worrywart!" Extending her hands towards the view set before them she marveled at the sight of the sunset from the highest point of Imhotep's pyramid._

_Pointing at the multitude of laborers and civilians in the vicinity, Mana was ecstatic. "Ouji! This is fantastic!"_

_The spiky-haired young man merely chuckled at the sight of his leaping childhood friend. Sitting calmly over the edge of the step towards the sunset, he quickly took out some bread he had bought at the marketplace earlier in the day and began nibbling on them._

_With a frown, he examined the vastness and boundaries of his kingdom with much concentration and scrutiny._

_Noticing him not sharing similar sentiments, she propped herself beside him and snatched some bread off him to distract him from his thoughts._

_'Of course he's going to have to take much more responsibility from now on... He'll be... Pharaoh after all.'_

_With a pout, she sat silently beside him whilst rubbing her fingers gently on the nape of his neck in a massaging fashion._

_Biting her lip, she mustered her courage to tell him._

_With closed eyes, she announced in a regal fashion, "Pharaoh!"_

_Twitching slightly, her friend shot her a somber glance of ambiguity. It was followed by a cheeky grin._

_"Was the bread stale?"_

_Confused, Mana raised her brow. "Huh?"_

'_This is going to get awkward, but I wish you could confide in me more…'_

_Instinctively getting up from his spot, he brushed his fingers gently on her face._

_"You missed a spot there."_

_Animatedly raising her hands in utter embarrassment, she protested defensively with a pout, "At-tem! Well… it's just crumbs!"_

_Their faces were mere inches in proximity._

_A familiar feverish warm sensation dominated them both._

_Turning away quickly, he stammered blatantly. "Ou-Ouji is fine."_

_Not too simplistic without being too forward. This was what she loves best._

_An inner voice within her resounded in opposition. _

_No, She didn't want it like this._

_Face reddening, she blurted, "Y-you looked down earlier... and I think y-you should be more honest… with yourself..." _

_Not the right choice of words, damn me, Ra._

_The words ended up being stuck in her throat. Shoulders tensed, her hands grew cold and she bit her lip._

_Trembling slightly, Atem turned his body towards her. However, he put his hands up to his face, and his gaze fixed on the space between them. _

"_I'm.. afraid, Mana.. I.. I don't think I can take this position…" Mana was sure he was close to sobbing._

_Slightly relaxing, Mana squeaked, "Wh-what do you mean?"_

_Still looking down he continued, "I cannot be king, the burden's too great and I just can't! Even when everyone's smiling at me, it's just…"_

_His voice lacked the power and charm it usually possessed. Her ever so confident friend was literally croaking out his insecurities._

_The girl enveloped him in her warm embrace. _

_Mana tucked a flock of hair behind her ear. "It's okay, Ouji... I'm your friend and you should be able to tell me these things, we're only sixteen and even if we are at the marriageable age… we're still children so…I'm sorry I talk way too much!" _

_Letting him go, she flickered her eyes from his form to the ground. _

_His eyes red, Atem wiped his eyes and regained his composure. He took in two deep breaths before mustering a smile that spoke a hundred words. _

_"I'm glad." _

_'As long as she was there everything would be alright.' _

_She was ecstatic. "Unnn!"_

_'You don't know how it makes me feel seeing this side of you, Ouji!' _

_Though she had not voiced out her opinion, it was ideally one of the best meals she had._

* * *

_Pulling off her veil and headdress relieved the pressure off her head, much to her delight. After massaging her temples in circles, she sighed internally and gazed upon the altar._

_A blazing golden flame which is to burn unceasingly._

_She stared to the point fiery cracks of amber began to reflect in her eyes. _

_No longer a common apprentice, Mana was arrayed and anointed in glorious sanctity. The duties of overseer, protector and servant were entrusted to her conditionally-to the people, the Pharaoh and the gods respectively._

_Consecration, Segregation, Duty, Integrity, Humility, Loyalty, Reliability, Courtesy and Service._

_Core principles that polished and refined her into what she had become today._

_Was that the case?_

_No, she had been mesmerized by and enthralled by them, but that had been in the forgotten past for now she was a woman of indifference._

_Indifference. Indifference. Heh. _

_She drew in another deep breath, held it in and slowly let it all out._

_Crackling sounds of fire diffused as sound-waves. It resonated in her eardrums repetitively. Tch. _

_Its flames will never die unless one of the priests ministering to it withholds responsibility._

_What was its sole purpose? To burn eternally for the pleasure of the gods? To have its length in office dictated by them? To have its fate predetermined? To burn until the gods sniff out its life?_

_Responsibility. Responsibility. Responsibility. Is that all there is to it?_

_She gritted her teeth._

_What about me? Am I going to be miserable until Shai puts me out of misery?_

_I wish Shai could cut off the thread that binds me to this life. _

_Anytime._

_The flames' continuous flickering aggravated her, leading to more unanswered questions. Furrowing her brows in frustration she released her imagination and let it run its course._

_She let her hands fall by her side as she stared at nothing in particular, very much bewildered by her thoughts. _

_At that precise moment, she was struck with a striking epiphany._

_Once fire is set loose into an uncontrollable rampage, catastrophe befalls. This indeed is a very true saying. The flames would follow a course so naturally unless it was kept under rein. _

_Likened to wildfire, her fate followed a path towards an unknown destiny, with an eerie intangible force pulling the strings behind her every move, her every decision._

_Facts and reality brewed indescribable sadness within. _

_Furthermore, she could NOT control destiny. Everything was ALWAYS in the gods' discretion. For example, manipulating an individual's course throughout their lifetime is also under the jurisdiction of the gods. _

_Akhenaden who was corrupted by the essence of Necrophades, attempted to overthrow such a systematic order but was condemned of his sin in overthrowing supreme hierarchy._

_Had that been an act of predestination too?_

_She had witnessed the aid her Ouji had received from the gods, yet their methods of affliction and deliverance still rendered her utterly speechless__._

_Even when they had delivered them from the traitorous priest and the thief king, she was unable to hold on to her faith._

_It was incomprehensible that they had allowed him to die. _

_'Why do gods allow such things to occur? They sure have a twisted sense of humor. Human interaction is probably only of measly insignificance to them. We are probably only playthings if I am to be damned. If they were truly omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent I would have been struck dead by now formulating such apostatizing notions.'_

_Letting out a bitter laugh, she put her hands over her face to hide her distress. In an attempt for self-rationalization she mildly scolded herself for such thoughts-thoughts pertaining to rebellion and defiance. Did not her ancestors serve in the same way? Let alone even Ouji, Master and the other priests, didn't they fulfill their duty faithfully until the end?_

_Despite how painful it was._

_Her introspective thoughts led to nowhere. _

_If her Master was still here she would be severely reprimanded. _

_Averting her eyes from the flames, she directed them towards the display of tablets and friezes embedded on the walls of the temple court. It recounted the tales of prosperity and decline of Dynastic Egypt, ascertained and depicted by witnesses; collaborated with the chroniclers to ensure such tales can be passed down to future generations in honor of remembering the achievements of their ancestors and of the gods._

_She briskly marched towards the most recent engravings and brushed her bony fingers over a figure with spiky hair. _

_The frieze depicted him as a brave Pharaoh who had sacrificed himself in his prime for the sake of his country and people._

_She was resolute like her Ouji before her. Nothing could change her mind now. She was stubborn but by no means less cynical._

_Tear ducts could no longer hold out. She let it flow in the longest time. _

_Dabbing her eyes with a canvass piece of cloth, she whispered ever so faintly._

_"We are equals. You are strong. Whatever happens, wherever you are, and whoever you may become, I'll never forget."_

* * *

Ever since being appointed as the High Priestess of the Millennium Ring under Pharaoh Seth, Atem's successor, Mana had intense difficulty coping. She was often overwhelmed with the amount of responsibility, though outwardly, she performed them without showing signs of reluctance.

Little ones in training were sheltered under her care and guidance, similarly with her predecessor. It was a hereditary obligation for one who practiced the highest level of sorcery within the kingdom.

The current Pharaoh was wise enough to appoint the strongest of magus' to wield the ring. It required a very unattainable high level of discipline and resilience for one to not succumb to the evil power it harnessed.

No, Pharaoh Seth was gravely mistaken.

He was indeed, and he had committed an error of similar depth when HE died. He just stood there as he was sent to his demise!

She was too weak to prevail against its powers.

It fed off her negativity day by day. Everyday they torment, and torture her soul.

Thoughts of apostasy.

Bitter thoughts of the current Pharaoh.

She hated herself.

* * *

Isis had endeavored to see her everyday despite her busy schedule and covert affairs. She was her superior in terms of ministering as both sacred guardian and priestess but the latter insisted on casting aside the formalities. Both bonded quickly like blood-sisters, being the few who survived such an unspeakable ordeal.

_"Mana, you are no longer a child. Mahado's legacy has been passed on to you and the Pharaoh has appointed you as his successor is what I might've said."_

'_Stop wearing that motherly mask. I don't need your pity.'_

_Tears brimming her eyes, she hugged her protege tightly, and with a whisper of affectionate. "You poor child, you've gone through so much.."_

_The younger woman's vacant eyes were a bottomless dark chasm. _

_An endless abyss even Anubis cannot fathom._

* * *

Mana then remembered the tears she shed THAT day. It was an unstoppable wave of emotions pouring out of her soul. It was also the day she had stopped living.

Guilt suddenly welled up within her entire being. Qualms and doubts managed to sneak past the walls she had built around her heart.

Of Not Being Able To Protect Atem, Her Prince.

She felt sick of herself.

Of Her Tactless Decisions.

Of her cowardice.

Could she still dare say she loved him even now?

Unless she could live the moment again without any painful regrets, she prayed.

_"Ouji!" she cried out from the tree, attempting to reach the fruit, almost stumbling in the process._

_Being taller, a tanned skinned boy with tri-colored hair hearkened her call by reaching out his hands as he grabbed the fruit swiftly enough before she stumbled._

_Sheepishly the girl hopped off the tree and buckled herself on to the boy from behind while munching on the apple in delight._

_"Twankss OuuJee!"_

Reminiscing the past won't help her present predicament. She had hoped that the Pharaoh was understanding enough to let her leave the palace to find herself in the process, despite her inner grudge against him.

It was still difficult and unmanageable for her to comprehend the loss of her childhood friend and Master, alongside many casualties including of the High Priests she had form a bond with, save for Isis who was the only survivor among the previous generation. She had especially mourned of her master's demise.

She wasn't as emotionally strong as her. She could mask her distress and segregate personal emotions with her sacred duties, why couldn't she?

Oblivious to the weakness in her protective barrier, she persisted in her sloppy forward movements, even when she lost momentum she would see this to the end.

Clutching the left side of her chest, she let out a sorrowful whimper.

It hurts so much.

People come and go in life, even so is one able to overcome the talons of death? Life still goes on until the day one leaves the present world only to anticipate a sound judgement by Anubis. Whether one's heart was pure enough to be devoured by Ammit was entirely reflected in one's life account. This was the destiny of man.

Destiny. Destiny. Destiny. To Hell with all that.

His death at seventeen was his destiny? He COULDN'T even enjoy life properly!

Not many threads were left hanging.

Wandering aimlessly, she stared blankly towards the dunes.

Does she even have any room for hope?

* * *

_"I must do this Mana, trust me on this. It is the only way to destroy this evil once and for all!" Atem urged, his voice tired and hoarse as she was unwilling to let go of her Pharaoh._

_Mana put on a brave front even though she knew her Pharaoh's ba was already deficient. Knowing he had already made up his mind she knew even with persuasion that he would stand firm in his decisions. He was one who would never go back on his word._

She had been weak and worthless.

_What was to come was absolute. Nothing can change it unless he lets go of his damn pride and let others help him!_

_Regardless of the level of intimacy they shared, she apprehended that all this will culminate into a futile repercussion._

_She was afraid. She feared losing…. him._

_The girl had no choice but to inflict much emotional pain on herself._

_Reluctantly she cast her feelings aside and thought of the greater good that his sacrifice would achieve. She brushed every conflicting emotion, even her inner demons down to every word or feeling that would thwart any chances of victory over that evil god._

_"Ouji! Promise me you'll return?" she stammered in a showcase of fearless attempt._

_Atem flashed her a warm smile despite the dire situation, "Yes I will Mana, trust me."_

_"Come back... alive!" she persisted._

'_You're delusional, your hesitation proves it. Stop lying to yourself and face the truth Mana.'_

_The girl eyed his face, his handsome face which was by no less tainted and blemished. Despite the scars and bruises etching his face, he was determined. _

He was willing to lay down his life for you and for the world! Who in the right mind would?

_Looking back, the Pharaoh rushed to her side as he hollered._

_"Mana! Mana!"_

_His usual sharp and confident features were replaced with moroseness and much hurt._

_Tugging her closely to his torso, he abruptly leaned in melted his lips on to hers to Mana's pleasant surprise._

_She was vindicated of a love that could not be._

_Immediately feeling as if she was struck by lightning, an ecstatic pulsation ignited a fiery passion within her. She was on cloud nine and returned his kiss even more passionately. Feeling the warmth of his body leaning close to hers, she vowed that they were inseparable._

_Forbidden? Isis, Hathor and the late Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen shall acknowledge such sanction._

_Hasty? Mutual feelings are reciprocated._

_Reckless? No, this action was in fact transcendent._

_Time was against them._

_Trepidation dissipated. _

_Even with the impending threat of death's shadow, the King's presence dispelled every inch of fear and anxiety in the magician's soul._

_Following such intense overflowing feeling, she felt hurt. _

_Digging down to her roots, deep down she knew that the probability of keeping such a promise was not high. _

_His life was at stake. Their lives were at stake._

_Though the kiss was fleeting, she had to hold on to that single promise he had made with her._

_Don't ever break it._

_Don't pull out the wick of the oil lamps._

_Reluctantly letting go, she cheered for his safety, and wished him a safe return._

_May Ra shelter you under His radiant wings; may His light protect you forever._

_His chivalry and fighting spirit was one of a kind. He whose flame that cannot be quenched. _

_Her doubts dispelled, she was certain he was the chosen one._

_He will end this, but what about me? Why is destiny so cruel in choosing you to atone for nothing?_

_Tears running down her face again, she ran back as fast as her legs could take her. _

_Oh, how much she regretted it._

_"Run Mana! Go!" Atem beckoned as the darkness in the vicinity continued to overshadow the land. It was merely moments before the demon god trampled the country into desolation, engulfing everything in its path in eternal shadow._

_The scent of death was at hand._

"_This is unfair, THIS IS just so unfair!" She almost threw a tantrum._

_She swore she saw a glitter of transparent liquid brimming her Prince's eyes as it abruptly trickled down his face before turning to face Zorc._

_"__**FOOLS! Do you think you are able to defeat me! I am the embodiment of the shadows itself, and even the Egyptian gods failed miserably to destroy me!" the demon god bellowed.**_

_'Why can't I protect him? I'm supposed to be a guardian in training? Master Mahado.. I've failed you!' _

_That demonic voice alone sent her body in trembling fits. She had never been this afraid in her life. _

_The numbness that had spread to her limbs and emerging goosebumps that ruptured her senses enabled the girl opened her eyes._

_Her face went as white as snow. _

_Bile coursed its way up to her throat, threatening to spill out. _

_Corpses lay everywhere. The stench of death that penetrated her nostrils was unbearable. Mana pinched her nose and held her breath._

_'I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!' _

_The girl was desperate and searched for signs of another._

_Someone who still possessed the gift of the breath of life._

_"Master Seth!" she called as she frantically latched on to the Priest's robes in utter helplessness._

_"Please stop Atem! Before it's too late!" She pleaded, her knees collapsing in the process._

"_Stop him please!" she beckoned._

_His response was a mere downcast expression. _

"_STOP HIM!" she practically commanded. Her voice broke into a shrill croak. _

_Seth ignored her pleas and merely looked forwards into what was about to unfold and tensed his body in helpless desperation._

_Tears spilled freely. She clawed on his robes and began hitting him continuously "Why aren't you doing anything he's your cousin?! He's!" she stopped in her tracks as she refused to mention that word. _

_For now, it was taboo to her ears._

_"I promised him." Seth said firmly as he bit his lip, trying his best to keep a straight face. _

_"To.. not interfere." he looked on solemnly as he recalled the last conversation he had with his cousin, who had sworn it him in secrecy._

_"You will make a great Pharaoh, you always had it in you. I sincerely thank you for everything." _

_Recalling the handshake and the friendly rivalry they had shared in the past, it was difficult for the young priest to let go. However, as the successor to the throne, his training to conceal his emotions had already begun. Exploitation was one of the deadliest consequences a monarch could possibly endure. _

_Mana shrieked in agony, witnessing what had unfolded before her._

_It seemed as if time had stopped. _

_The girl's beloved Prince bravely held up his puzzle before the demon with such indescribable determination as he chanted the forbidden spell, which immediately came into effect. The beast had been sealed into the Ring._

_"My King! The spell worked! You've sealed the demon!" She heard the priest exclaim in relief._

_Looking at the clouds, it seemed all hope was not lost. _

_Everything could be restored again. _

_However, an apprehensive feeling that had been eating up the girl inside out had been realized._

_Not everything. _

_Mana gaped at the limp body a few meters in front of her._

_Agony and suffering overwhelmed the injured girl. _

_Seth suppressed the urge of momentary celebration for it was too early for that. With an ocular flutter that revealed his dilated and weary eyes, he gaped in utter shock at his fallen liaison, friend, comrade, cousin and rival. _

_Screeching shrieks of a certain young magician pierced his ears and his heart._

_He had almost stopped in his tracks as his knees almost gave way but as promised, he would see to the end of this._

_"Ouji!" she scrambled as quickly as possible to her Prince with Seth following her from behind. _

_He was coughing up a huge amount of blood as his body convulsed violently on the ground. His eyes were half lidded and his breathing became more staggered and faint._

_Enveloping him in an embrace to her bosom, she soothed him with an Egyptian lullaby, the Kheru Nefer a song the queen mother taught them long time ago before her passing._

_"It's beautiful.." Atem croaked weakly, Seth urged him to take it easy as he tried to find traces of a pulse._

_Mana let the tears freely fall from her eyes, "Yes.. it is.. the lyrics are beautiful, aren't they?"_

_Atem managed a weak laugh but more blood trickled down his mouth. "No, your voice is.. and you're beautiful too… Mana…" he weakly raised his arms and cupped her cheek._

_"Don't strain yourself Ouji! We'll get you help! Isis'll be here soon and.."_

_Seth's countenance fell as he was prepared for the worst. "He's not going to make it." he said in tremors as he took up his Millennium Rod._

_"Wh.. What do you mean?" Mana growled shakily, demanding a clearcut response._

_Chariots and voices could be heard in the background as Isis called out to them._

_"Pharaoh!" she ran as fast as she could, holding the rest of the items in a worn out sack._

"_No! No! No!" Mana squeaked ever so much in her life. _

_Mana observed she was in a worse state than usual but nothing could be compared to how Atem was feeling._

_"I love.." His voice barely a whisper died down as he lived out his last moments, satisfied he could tell her how he felt the moment he breathed his last._

_"You.."_

* * *

The memory was still fresh and alive in the back of her mind. It often haunted her in forms of dreams and nightmares. This resulted in an unsatisfactory presentation of an ideal priestess. She had committed a myriad of mistakes, much to the criticism of the sacred court that led people to be skeptical of the Pharaoh's judgement.

_"That Seth boy could not even discern well. My son would be more fitting as guardian."_

_"What a joke that girl is! She cannot even do as much as an easy task!"_

_"This amount is incorrect, Priestess Mana, please I beg you to take this more seriously!"_

Even the voices would condemn and torment her when they could.

The pressure and burden had taken a toll on her sleeping pattern and routine. She was very much awake and sober in the middle of the night.

Isis who was very concerned, often brought her herbs and often prayed on her behalf. Whenever she could, she pleaded mercy and grace from the gods to aide her sister with her current difficulties. There were even times when she would penitently fast and pray for the young magician.

Ever since Atem's soul had been entrapped in the puzzle, many wise men speculated him to be in deep slumber. Such a matter did not prove to be a huge deal to the members of the council. Through much thought and analysis, they all concluded that the young Pharaoh be labeled a hero and a frieze depicting his sacrifice be engraved, in honor of his bravery. Siamun, before his passing, was clever enough to design his tomb full of traps in case grave robbers would steal Atem's beloved treasures.

To Mana, the weight of his demise was like a two hundred pound boulder on her shoulders.

She lost her lover and her best friend to damned destiny.

She even remembered offering her necklace to her Prince as a parting gift to the afterlife, the one which he had given him for her birthday three years prior. It was laid beside the sarcophagus, beside the golden box where the shattered pieces of the puzzle were laid to rest.

Atem had said that the necklace belonged to his mother's family which was passed down generation to generation. The astrologers and wise men of the land speculated the queen mother's lineage traced back to Hatshepsut, the legendary queen who had possessed vast treasures; using alchemy to infuse jewels into raw gold.

The necklace itself was golden with carved hieroglyphs engraved on the side, adorned with jewels and pearls. A brilliant shining emerald was embedded delicately in the middle, replacing the eyeball in the Eye of Wdjat. Rumors say this had been one of the last of Hatshepsut's treasures which had survived.

* * *

The more she recounted the past, the more vivid his face appeared in her mind.

Attempting to distill these thoughts, she continued wandering until, behold, before her was a brook meandering past seventy palm trees and twelve springs of water. Her lips were already cracked and dried up for her wine-skin had ran out of water around half an hour ago.

She had forsaken her duty and loyalty to Pharaoh Seth and the Millennium Ring in pursuit of a pretentious nomadic lifestyle.

Thank Ra she was able to find springs of living water.

Squinting her eyes in utter disbelief, she rubbed her eyes to see if it was not an illusion.

A mirage could be a possible explanation. It's nowhere near possible for such a luscious oasis being situated in such a place.

Middle of nowhere.

A reignited passionate flame.

Teal orbs flashed brilliantly in curious scrutiny.

She quickly approached paradise.

The nearer she drew the clearer her answer was: Indeed, this was the oasis of Elim. Had she traveled this far already? Per knowledge of the desert area, she concluded she was already close to the Sinai Peninsula.

Immersing herself in the vast spring, she bathed herself in the cool pristine waters under the desert sun, helping herself with large quantities of water equivalent to a few liters to quench her thirst.

Putting her clothes back on, she laid down by the shade of one of the trees for she was fatigued and drained.

Rest was necessary for the continuation of her arduous journey.

Strangely enough her head began throbbing.

Her periphery was blurring out.

She immediately identified it as symptoms of disorientation due to lethargy and malnutrition.

Mana was frustrated for this would jeopardize and cripple her chances of survival.

A hefty sound by the bushes adjacent to her then caught her attention.

Stupefied, she diverted her focus towards the source of the sound. Shifting her eyes towards the bushes, she could make out a silhouette of a person.

Thoughts began swarming in her mind:

She was done for. She was vulnerable. She was severely handicapped and she was a woman.

'Maybe this is just me hallucinating.'

Rubbing her eyes to ascertain what had transpired, she was awestruck by a sudden increase in the anomaly of the surrounding area.

A striking presence likened to a revenant caught her off guard.

Behold, before her was a man in radiant armor of blazing gold, his face being completely hidden by a golden headdress which shone as bright as the sun, restricting Mana's vision causing her to instinctively shield her eyes with her brazened arms.

He drew his sword elegantly and proceeded to 'entertain' her with his performance, to which Mana noted his incredible skills in swordsmanship. Waving and flashing the mithril chunk of metal before the young woman, he gazed onto her eyes with such intense satisfaction, making the woman's heart skip a beat.

He longed to execute justice.

Stretching out his free hand, he kindly extended it towards her in hopes of her to remember.

To Realize it. Accept it. Acknowledge this hand and take it.

A familiar rapport usurped her senses as she felt strong impulses radiating from the man, knocking her out of her reverie.

Of lust, desire and gratification.

Mana speculated his hand was surprisingly small and height-wise he was on par with hers.

_Thump. Thump._

A familiar euphoric sensation pulsated through her body.

Adrenaline pumped at the speed of light.

_Even if her Ouji sported a calm and confident demeanor at times, she was content._

Filled with apprehension she was skeptical of taking up his offer. The crimson orbs he bore, visible through the helmet reflected sympathy, compassion and tenderness she could not even fathom.

_'I am so happy that Ouji could reveal that side of him to me. Many misunderstand him to be apathetic and stoic but they forget that even if he is a king, he's still a normal guy who is sweet, kind, caring, sensitive, and vulnerable too!'_

He was a multifaceted human being like everyone else and he fully deserved to live a happy life.

Why am I recounting such things?

Albeit hesitantly, she reached out her hands and took up his offer.

She was somewhat comfortable taking his hand.

Relief, security and comfort washed over her.

Then followed by feelings of hurt and contentment. They were poured into the emptiness of her heart. Unmistakably this person had undergone something like death.

He was an ethereal transcendent existence.

Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Mana was full of conviction.

Gut feeling and instinct alone sufficed in ascertaining her judgement. Other than that, she didn't care.

Hand in hand, both enjoyed each other's company under the afternoon sun.

The young woman was retelling the stories of her past though she only mentioned her adventurous lifestyle and left out her time as a priestess in Seth's court. Throughout the whole duration of Mana's sharing, the knight in shining armor did not utter a word nor sound.

He only responded to Mana with nods and hand gestures.

Curiosity fueled her in her attempt to persuade him to take off his helmet.

"Why can't you let me see your face?"

Crestfallen orbs of crimson responded.

She could tell it will not end well with them.

_Silence._

"If I did, you won't ever come back." he said so faintly and as quietly as possible.

Familiar flames of passion rekindled itself in the girl, as she was too stunned to speak. Save for the crestfallen tone of voice-she noted it was the deep rich baritone she had longed to hear.

She had been in denial even when she understood from his eyes alone. The woman had gradually stopped believing without seeing.

Oh, the irony of it all.

"Ouji?!" she jumped from the spot happily as she flung herself towards the knight and buckled herself on to him.

"If you see my face... you will not be able to return..." he said solemnly, even though he was reluctant to let go of his lover.

Mana was defiant. "I don't care! As long as you're here. I'm in Paradise!" she smiled.

'Take things at face value, no more games.'

Atem solemnly traced his gloved hands over her cheek. "You still have a chance to live! while I on the other hand had given my life for the sake of my people! You can still continue in Mahado's legacy!" he persisted, trying to persuade her otherwise.

The sun was about to set, the Pharaoh being glad that she still had not seen his whole face at that moment.

The woman was desperate and fumed in response. "Ouji! Get a hold of yourself! I know you want to be with me, even as death do us part, the gods gave us this chance!"

How selfish and conceited of me to say. I'm a hypocrite and an utter failure, Osiris.

"Till destiny do us part!"

She reached towards his helmet and yanked it upwards.

Alas, her unexpectant eyes were met with a shocked and terrified expression.

Disgruntled.

"No! What have you done!" Atem groaned wistfully, whilst raising his arms to his face to shield himself from Mana's intense gaze.

Mana jerked his arms aside with a huff. "I've made my decision and I'm not going back from it. You won't stop me this time, remember when I tried to stop you before?" she said smugly.

She then promptly laced her fingers on his neck, tracing it to its nape in circles of sensual provocation, with her other hand gently caressing his face.

Pressing his soft lips gently on her cheek, Atem let out a weak laugh.

"Even death can't stop you from reaching me."

After purring his parting words ambivalently, he paused in his tracks which halted the sequence of Mana's delusive inceptions.

A mournful solemn expression laced his features.

That was when she last saw of him.

Realizing she was in the middle of a sandstorm, she could feel her body was already to the point of full immersion, being almost buried within the sand. Her limbs being completely buried rendered her immobile. All that was exposed to sandy polluted air was the contours of her face. Dust and sand particles continued to invade her nostrils and mouth, making her breathing forced and difficult.

Acknowledging her survival rate being low in such a state of being that she was, she relented and relaxed herself as she allowed the spirits of the wilderness to consume her body.

'My Oasis.'

Being satisfied, without any murmur or complaint she allowed the sand to stratify layer upon layer.

She was helpless anyway for she had used up most of her Ba and manna for putting up the barrier. In addition, it was inadequate and insufficient fuel in summoning Dark Magician Girl to support her by dispelling the unwanted weight.

As the severity of the storm ensued, all was left was a heap of sand that blew itself in the direction of the four winds. Not a trace of a living person was to be found.

For everything that had been buried in the sands of time would have its mysteries ready to be unraveled a few thousand years in the future.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**-There's lots of imagery and subtle implications in this oneshot. Hathor is the Egyptian goddess of love; she sought for her approval and hoped she would be forgiven by the gods and his father by being with Atem.**

**-Hatshepsut was an actual Egyptian queen but adjustments to her history were made.**

**-Shai is the god of fate and destiny.**

**-The Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul was split into five parts-Ba, Ka, Sheut, Ren and Ib. I will leave you to interpret which part of his soul was manifested before her. **

**A huge shoutout to angiembabe for letting me know of this information!**

* * *

**The setting is when Mana was appointed High Priestess of the Millennium Ring for Pharaoh Seto in the manga adaptation of Yugioh. This is depicted mainly in Mana's perspective. It outlines her downfall of being unable to cope with the loss of Atem and Mahado, with herself ending up in depression causing her to leave the palace and start a journey to 'find' herself. However, her depressive feelings resurface as she begins to recall things of the past, causing her to 'hallucinate' in the wilderness. It was actually a spiritual experience where a part of Atem's soul manifests itself before Mana. **

**Thanks for reading.**

**Please review.**


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